The Russellville Democrat., 1887-01-12
BRONCH0 LOUIS WILD LIFE.
An Unsexed Terror of the Far sout1-
 west.

BRONCHO LOUIS WILD LIFE. An Unsexed Terror of the Far south
 west.
 TIas Cruces -tN. M.) Letter in the N. Y. Sun ]
 Though new, this country has become old enough to have an occasional exam pie of the effects Of heredity. Broncho Lou, the woman desperado, who not many years ago was the terror of South ern Colorado, has son who has just distinguished himself by committing perjury in the hope of having his mother hanged, so that he might in- herit her property.
 Up to 1881 Lou belonged to band of outlaws which made it's headquarters in Colorado. Since that time, and under various names, she has lived on ranch in Lincoln county in this territory, where she has considerable stock. In her younger days she was dashing woman, with enough of grace and health, brightness of eye and freshness of complexion to make her pass as req sonably good-looking. She was as queer compound of ferocity and gen tleness, devilishness and decency, bru- tality and womanliness, as was ever seen. She rode horse like man. She was strong and 1.-the and could endure anything. In spite of her hard life her figure was trim, her voice musical, and her hands deft. She could kill man with revolver or knife and nurse 8 wounded or sick companion with equal dexterity. She was an expert in all games of chance, and on more than one occasion she figured as dealer in gam bling-houses, where her shrewdness and nerve brought her big salaries. An unetring marksman, no one cared to get within the range of her rife. She is credited with killing two husbands in Colorado, and nobody knows exactly how many she has made away with here.
 When the band to which she belonged in Colorado became so troublesome that the settlers could put up with their lawlessness no longer, posse was or ganized to go in pursuit. The despera- does were encountered at an abandoned railroad camp, and after two or three men had been killed on both sides four of the outlaws, including Broncho Lou, were obliged to surrender, the others getting away. Lou was not injured, but her three companions were all severely wounded. Although it was the inten- tion of the crowd to lynch the fellows, Lou persuaded them to desist, and on her suggestion all were conveyed to the jail at Las Animas. Here the feeling was so great that no one would attend the wounded prisoners, but Lou dressed their wounds and brought them out all right. As little restraint had been put upon her, she did not have much diffi- culty in making arrangements for the escape of the entire party, and one morning the taller found that all were gone.
 If they had left the country then it is probable that they would not have been pursued, but they remained in the southern part of the state, committing s.any depredations. When these be- came intolerable another posse set out, and a pitched battle was eventually fought with the thieves, in the course of which several of the latter were again taken prisoners. The posse had ropes ready and were about to lynch their captives, when Lou and one companion, well mounted and armed. descended on the party with such impetuosity as to stampede it and give the prisoners a chance to escape. Going south, Lou was never again on Colorado soil. Her old-time companions scattered, and she married again and settled down in Lin coin county, the haven of western toughs, making occasional journeys to the towns round about, as the inclina- tion moved her. At that time she was known as Mrs. Yankers, though she was familiarly designated by her wild ac- quaintances by the old Colorado sobri- quet of Broncho Lou.
 She was in Socorro in 1883, and while engaged in gambling game with Robert Black she shot him dead. It was shown by her associates that Black had been the aggressor, and on the prelimi nary examination she was dismissed. Later on the grand jury investigated her case, but found no indictment. Ap- pretending no more trouble on this score. Lou went back to her ranch, and there married William Dawson, with whom she lived on better terms than had characterized her relations with any of her previous husbands. But he became involved in quarrel with John II. Good and was killed by him, ,and Lou came here to prosecute the murderer While In this town word was received by her from Socorro to the effect that she had been indicted there for the mur- der of Black, and she at once took steps to investigate the matter. It was not long before she discovered that enemies had been before the grand jury, but she did not learn the full truth until last week, when her case came on for trial before Judge Henderson.
 Besides the attorney whom she had retained. Broncho Lou had her son, a young fellow named William Raper, with her, and up to the minute that be took the stand she and her friends sup posed that he was friendly to her. Once under oath, however, he proved most dangerous witness against her. He swore that Black had been killed by his mother in cold blood, and that the weapon found fin his possession was placed in his hands after he fell te give color to the story of self-defense. So pointed was his testimony that for a short time it was feared Lon was doomed, but her attorney had not gone far with the cross-examination before the young scoundrel became involved in contradictions, and at length owned